About Me

I was a reporter and columnist for 40 years for a chain of newspapers in the suburbs of Chicago. I'm a military veteran having served in the United States Army Combat Engineers (Cpl. E-4) and a Korean War veteran with an Honorable Discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States of America

Sunday, August 3, 2008

During a recent campaign rally in Panama City, Florida, GOP hopeful Sen. John McCain stumbled and stammered and never did answer a reporter's question about what he has ever done for Black people and how Obama played the race card.

McCain's people still want 10 Town Hall meetings. What if he got a question like this at a Town Hall meeting and stuttered and stammered through the answer like he does on this video?

Pentagon notifies Congress of proposed military sales to Iraq that include helicopters, tanks.http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=27226WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said Friday it has notified Congress of proposed military sales to Iraq valued at more than nine billion dollars, including helicopters, tanks and armored vehicles.The biggest proposed sale was for 392 Light Armored Vehicles, radios and anti-tank weapons at an estimated cost of three billion dollars, the Defense Security and Cooperation Agency said.

The mainstream media in concert with the Bush White House and the Bush White house parrot, FOX NEWS, continue to LIE to the American public about the success of "the surge."On Sunday in a part of Baghadad, 35 people were killed following a bomb blast.35 killed, wounded in northern Baghdad blast

Price was among at least three other reporters, and the only black reporter, surrounding McCain's campaign bus — Gov. Charlie Crist and his fiancee, Carole Rome, were already aboard — when a member of the Arizona senator's security detail asked the reporter to identify himself. Price had shown his media credentials to enter the area.

Price showed his employee identification as well as his credentials for the Friday event."I explained I was with the state press, but the Secret Service man said that didn't matter and that I would have to go," Price said.

When another reporter asked why Price was being removed, she too was led out of the area. Other state reporters remained.

Jonathan Block does advance work for McCain's campaign. He was in Panama City on Friday but was not present when reporter Stephen Price was asked to move from a restricted area.

"Access to the senator is tightly controlled," Block said. "I would first express regret that your reporter was moved, and I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that race had nothing to do with it."

Tallahassee Democrat Executive Editor Bob Gabordi said the incident was unwarranted."We're deeply concerned and disturbed that our reporter — of all of those in that area — was asked to move," Gabordi said. "My understanding is that Stephen was the only reporter approached and asked to leave the area, and the only reporter in that area who is black. Another reporter who stood up for Stephen was then asked to leave."A Panama City police officer approached while Price was speaking to the security member. Panama City police were unavailable for comment Friday night.

Block said the area where Price was standing was restricted to members of the traveling national press corps that accompanies McCain on the campaign trail.

"At the end of the day, your reporter was in the wrong place. I do not know why the other reporters were not moved. The rest of the local press should have been moved as well," Block said.The campaign advance man said there were many reasons that could have prompted Price being asked to move, depending on how visible his press identification was, whether he had a bag and possibly information about McCain's movement, which could have prompted the security person to move people in one area and not in another."It's really like a pressure cooker with security," Block said. COMMENTARY: JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE BLATANT RACISIM IN THE McCAIN CAMPAIGN.

FOX NEWS and much of the mainstream press keep telling the American public "the surge" has been a roaring success in Iraq, and in particular Baghdad.This report proves how wrong FOX NEWS and the mainstream press can be:Minibus detonates, killing 12 in Iraq

Most of the victims of the blast near a passport office, were civilians, the official said.

Another roadside bomb exploded near eastern Baghdad's al-Kindi Hospital wounding nine people, the official said. Three police officers were among those hurt, he said.

Two people were wounded by a bomb that targeted but missed a convoy of SUVs in southeast Baghdad's al-Ghadir neighborhood Sunday morning, the official said.

Meanwhile, a U.S. soldier was killed in a vehicle accident north of Baghdad Saturday, military officials said. Another soldier was injured in the mishap, the military said.

It is the first American troop death in Iraq for August. July marked the lowest monthly toll of the war in Iraq with 11 U.S. troop deaths -- six killed in hostilities and five others dying from non-battle related causes, according to figures released by the Pentagon.

The war has shifted to Afghanistan where it should have been fought from the beginning. The loss of 4,127 American lives in Iraq did not have to happen because Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 and Iraq did not have a nuclear program or any weapons of mass destruction.However, Afghanistan is where Usama bin Laden was hiding out and the focus of the U.S. military action should have been on Afghanistan from the beginning. The terrain and the combat situation in Afghanistan is entirely different than in Iraq as you will see in this raw combat video taken as a U.S. patrol engages the Taliban in Afghanistan:http://www.youtube.com/v/Emr1tFK5wBc&hl=en&fs=1Click on diamond-shaped arrow in center of picture to start video.